Kyle stood next to her. “Yeah, we’re all finished.”
“Look, Kyle, uh–” he said as he glanced at her work table. Heat washed over him as he furrowed his brows at what lay on the polished wood. “What is that?”
Julia tugged her lips back in a wince. “Uh–”
He curled his fingers into fists as he stared at the key and note from his ex-wife. “Julia, I told Worthington to throw that away. What is it doing back here?”
“I just–”
“No,” he said with a shake of his head, cutting off her words. “I want that gone. Do you understand? Gone.”
Julia’s shoulders slumped as she skirted past Kyle and slid her hands onto his chest. “I know what you said, but I can’t shake the feeling that she didn’t send that for fun and games.”
“No, she sent it to torture us. Like she hasn’t done a good enough job of that over the past two years. And her latest admission…”
“I know,” she answered, her voice soft. “Kyle, can you–”
“No, he doesn’t have to leave. Actually, I was here to invite you to our movie thing with Sierra before I get the popcorn, chocolate, and wine.”
“Oh,” Julia said with a nod. “Okay. I’ll help you.”
“You don’t have to invite me. It’s fine. I…know what happened, and uh, well, I’m sorry, Dad.”
Grant pressed his lips together. The awkward moment didn’t help, but Kyle seemed oddly genuine. “Thanks. There’s no reason to be sorry. I would have preferred it not happen, but it did. We need to move past it…as a family. And…you’re part of that.”
“I appreciate that,” Kyle said.
Julia wrapped a hand around his arm and eased him toward the door. “Great, let’s grab that popcorn and–”
“No, wait,” Grant said with a shake of his head, “we need to discuss that.”
“I’m sorry you saw it, but I can’t toss it until I’ve given it a deeper look.”
“Julia–”
“At the risk of being uninvited to the movie night family event, I’m with Julia on this one. Lydia’s games are rarely pointless. I think she’s right to take it seriously.”
Grant’s jaw tightened. He and his son usually didn’t see eye to eye, but he really hated when he made some semblance of sense.
“You don’t have to have anything to do with it,” Julia said with a shake of her head. “I’ll handle it, okay? I think you have enough on your plate.”
He heaved a sigh, sliding his eyes closed. “No, I don’t want you doing this on your own.”
“I’ll help,” Kyle offered.
He bristled at the words, ready to shoot back a barb, but he held his tongue. “I will help, too. As much as I want to forget Lydia ever existed, you may have a point.”
She smiled at him. “I think somewhere along the line you told me I was always right.”
“Did I?” he asked as he interlaced his fingers with hers.
“Uh-huh. But I think it can keep for one night. You’ve been through enough today.”
“Actually, would you mind if I took a look at it?” Kyle asked.
Julia twisted to face him. “I thought you were coming with us for the movie?”
“I am, but Sierra has the worst taste in movies. I’ll need something to distract me from the awful movie she picks.”